Ilie Ciocan

Ilie Ciocan is a Romanian supercentenarian who, at the age of, is the oldest living World War II veteran, the second-oldest living man in the world after João Marinho Neto of Brazil, and the oldest Romanian person ever.

Biography

Early life

Ilie Ciocan was born in the village of, Galicea, Vâlcea County, Romania on. He was orphaned as a child and began work as a shepherd to survive.
In January 1932, at the age of 18, he married Floarea Obogeanu, who was seven years his senior. Together they had six children, three daughters and three sons. His wife died in 1992, aged 87.

Military service

Ciocan was drafted into the army at the age of 22, drafted into the 6th Artillery Regiment Pitești in 1935, and sent to the front in 1941. He participated in World War II as a machine-gunner and courier on the Eastern Front, in Odessa and the Don elbow, but also went to the Western Front and even as far as Czechoslovakia.
Following orders of general promotion issued after 1990 by the Ministry of National Defense of Romania, Ciocan reached the rank of major.

Health and longevity

Ciocan could ride a bicycle until 90 years old. At the age of 93, he slipped in the snow and broke his leg, and recovered, despite refusing to let the doctors put his leg in a cast.
Ciocan became the oldest living man in Europe following the death of 112-year-old Briton John Tinniswood on 25 November 2024. On 16 January 2025, he surpassed the final age of Dumitru Comănescu of 111 years, 219 days, becoming the oldest validated person ever from Romania.